Transmedia Gold: How The Orangery Built 'Traveling to Mars' and 'Sweet Paprika' into IP That Attracts WME

Why you should care: the pain point and the payoff

Too many creators and indie studios sit on brilliant graphic novels and comics that never escape the bookshelf. Executives drown in pitch decks, readers fragment across platforms, and agencies chase finished scripts — not raw IP. That gap is where The Orangery carved value. Their recent signing with WME in January 2026 turned two graphic-novel properties—Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika—into a packaged transmedia playbook that buyers crave: proven audience, modular IP, and adaptation-ready assets. If you want to turn comics into franchises rather than individual adaptations, their approach is a case study.

Top line: what happened and why it matters

In mid-January 2026, industry press reported that WME signed The Orangery, a European transmedia studio founded by Davide G.G. Caci. The move signals a broader 2025–26 shift: talent agencies are no longer just packaging actors and filmmakers — they're signing IP-first companies that supply ready-to-adapt universes. This is not a headline for headlines’ sake. It explains how upstream access to cohesive, market-tested worlds shortens development timelines, reduces risk for streamers and studios, and creates more monetizable touchpoints for merchandising, gaming, and international distribution.

"Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, Behind Hit Graphic Novel Series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ Signs With WME (EXCLUSIVE)" — Variety, Jan 16, 2026.

The Orangery’s core transmedia strategy — the anatomy

The Orangery didn’t just publish graphic novels and wait. They engineered each property for cross-platform adoption from page one. Here’s how they did it, broken into clear components you can apply.

1. Rights-first thinking: own and segment IP

Why it matters: Owning a full slate of rights (film, TV, animation, games, merchandising, audio, experiential) makes a property attractive to agencies like WME because it eliminates upstream rights negotiation. The Orangery retained or controlled clear, tiered rights for each title so partners could plug in without legal friction.

2. Build the IP bible before the pitch deck

Instead of a single-sentence logline and a sample issue, The Orangery created exhaustive bibles: character arcs, world rules, timeline, visual lexicon, and multi-season story beats. That transforms a graphic novel into a modular franchise — showrunner-ready and attractive to streamers that want multi-season roadmaps. Create a clear IP bible early so partners know the adaptation boundaries and spin-off potential.

3. Multi-entry storytelling — multiple audiences, multiple formats

They designed parallel touchpoints for different consumption habits:

• Serialized webcomic drops and special edition print runs to build a core fanbase.
• Audio-first adaptations (narrative podcasts, character soundscapes) to reach commuting and mobile listeners.
• Animated shorts and previsualization reels for buyers and social-first discovery.
• Playable narrative demos and tie-ins for early gamer engagement.

4. Creator-first partnerships and IP hygiene

The Orangery avoided the traditional studio rap on creators by guaranteeing creative participation and transparent revenue shares. That made acquiring talent easier: filmmakers and showrunners were more likely to attach because the original creative vision stayed intact and creators could benefit from downstream revenue. They also managed legal complexity with practical templates and diligence similar to what specialists recommend for creator agreements and regulatory due diligence.

5. Data-informed rollout

They used readership metrics, social sentiment, and conversion tracking from 2024–25 platform experiments to refine story beats and identify high-conversion characters and scenes. This reduced speculative development and gave WME proven hooks (characters, plots, visuals) that perform. Think of this as a microlisting approach to measuring attention — similar principles show up in microlisting strategies for discoverability.

How Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika were tailored as franchise-ready IP

Two very different titles show how the same transmedia architecture works across genres.

Traveling to Mars — global sci-fi epic

Core approach: Maximize worldbuilding, serialize myth, design branching storylines. Sci-fi thrives on lore, and The Orangery layered micro-histories, faction politics, technology rules, and a timeline that supports spin-offs. They released short canonical novellas and in-universe documents (news reports, mission logs) that made the world feel lived-in.

Transmedia hooks:

• Limited animated prequel series for streaming (6 x 20 min) to introduce key factions to a mass audience.
• AAA-lite game prototype focused on exploration and morality choices — ready for pitch to co-development partners; this is the natural spot to connect with resources about building interactive experiences like entertainment channel and episodic playbooks.
• Merch and collectibles designed as in-universe tech artifacts (prop-quality models, mission patches) that sell to fandoms and conventions.

Sweet Paprika — adult romantic-drama with sensual worldbuilding

Core approach: Leverage tone, music, and intimacy. The Orangery positioned Sweet Paprika for both linear and streaming erotically charged dramas that need careful marketing and rating sensitivity. They focused on music supervision, stylish visual palettes, and soundtrack-led promotion.

Transmedia hooks:

• Curated soundtrack releases with featured artists to generate playlist virality — a tactic that pairs with lessons from enhanced album and ebook tie-ins.
• Audio drama (serialized) that expands interiority and backstory — lower-cost proof for buyers.
• Targeted limited theatrical and streaming windows paired with premium experiential events (readings, immersive dinners) that monetize adult fandoms.

Why WME signed The Orangery — the agency playbook explained

Agencies like WME now see value in owning or packaging IP beyond talent. Here’s why The Orangery was a fit.

1. Pre-packaged, lower-risk deals for clients

For WME, The Orangery's franchise-ready properties mean they can offer clients intellectual property that has proven audience signals and clear adaptation paths. This reduces development churn and increases the odds of greenlighting projects — a win for both talent and buyers.

2. Cross-sell potential across WME’s divisions

WME’s value is its ability to connect directors, showrunners, music supervisors, brand partners, and gaming studios. The Orangery provided the raw material; WME supplies the ecosystem. That multiplies revenue streams — from scripted deals to merchandising and live experiences. Expect to see more micro-licensing and short-term monetization plays like the gift launch and micro-licensing playbooks that provide near-term cash while long-form deals close.

3. International-friendly IP

The Orangery’s European base and multilingual publishing strategy aligned with WME’s global ambitions. Properties ready for easy localization and co-productions are more saleable in 2026’s consolidated streaming market.

4. Timing: the market wants less risk and faster timelines

By late 2025 and into 2026, streamers and studios tightened development slates and prioritized properties with demonstrable traction. Agencies that could deliver adaptation-ready IP with a marketing runway were at an advantage.

What this means for creators, studios and indie publishers — practical, actionable advice

If you’re a creator or small studio, you don’t need The Orangery’s budget to apply these principles. Here are concrete steps to make your graphic novel attractive to agencies and buyers.

Checklist: Build franchise-ready IP in 12 steps

1. Create an IP bible: 10–20 pages covering characters, arcs, world rules, tone, and 3–5 season outlines.
2. Segment rights early: Define which rights you own, which you will license, and the revenue split for each category.
3. Produce at least one adaptation proof: a 5–10 minute animated short, a polished audio episode, or a playable demo.
4. Launch serialized content: Webcomic drops, newsletter lore, or short novellas to gather audience metrics.
5. Measure engagement: Track completion rates, social shares, conversion to mailing list subscribers, and merchandise pre-sales.
6. Build a showrunner-friendly pitch: Include a short sizzle reel, the bible, and a 1-page showrunner vision.
7. Protect IP legally: Simple copyrights, clear creator agreements, and an options policy for partners.
8. Plan merchandising early: Create 2–4 sample products that reflect your world’s aesthetics.
9. Develop localization assets: Clean text files, character glossaries, and style guides to speed translation (pair this with modern edge-first developer patterns to accelerate assets).
10. Use low-cost distribution: Podcast hosting, Webtoon/Tapas, and Substack can validate demand without big spend.
11. Network with agencies strategically: Target execs who have a track record with similar genres and provide packaged assets rather than raw scripts.
12. Set realistic KPIs and timelines: Aim for a 12–24 month proof-of-concept schedule from serialized launch to adaptation pitch.

Pitch elements buyers want in 2026

When approaching agencies or buyers in 2026, make sure your pitch includes:

• Audience metrics (read-through, retention, social mentions).
• Monetization evidence (print sales, pre-orders, merch revenue).
• Adaptation proof-of-concept (audio or visual demo).
• Clear rights map (what’s included in the deal).
• A multi-season narrative roadmap and spin-off potential.

2026 trends shaping transmedia — what to watch

Several market forces in late 2025 and early 2026 influenced WME’s move and The Orangery’s success. These are the levers you should track:

Consolidation and selective spend

Streamers consolidated and became more selective. They prefer fewer, larger bets on proven franchises. That benefits IP-first studios that can offer modular multi-year plans.

AI as a previsualization and localization tool

Advances in AI helped producers create high-quality animatics, multilingual dubs, and machine-assisted storyboarding at a fraction of prior costs. Use AI for rapid prototyping, but keep human oversight for creative fidelity. See operational frameworks for edge governance and auditability at edge auditability guides and consider low-latency architectures when you build pitch reels (edge containers & low-latency).

Gamification and interactivity as standard components

Buyers now expect a gaming or interactive angle, even for dramas. That can be a simple mobile narrative experience or a licensed mechanic for console/PC titles.

Experience economy

Live, immersive events and experiential marketing returned as profitable windows for adult IP. Properties like Sweet Paprika can monetize exclusives and premium events to offset marketing spend — see how experiential showrooms are being used in 2026: Experiential Showroom.

Risks and how The Orangery mitigated them

No transmedia strategy is risk-free. Here’s how The Orangery addressed the common pitfalls and how you can too.

Risk: Overextension

Spreading a property across too many platforms dilutes quality. The Orangery prioritized two to three primary platforms per title and built secondary extensions only after proof of traction.

Risk: Loss of creative control

They retained creative clauses and revenue participation for creators, making projects more attractive to artistic leads and preserving the IP’s core identity.

Risk: Legal complexity

They standardized contracts and used clear option timelines. For smaller creators: use templated agreements that define options, reversion clauses, and profit participation up front. If you need a legal checklist, review practical regulatory and creator diligence guides.

Future predictions — where transmedia goes next

Based on The Orangery’s model and 2026 trends, expect the following shifts:

• More agencies will sign IP studios — expect competition to intensify for rights-first companies.
• Franchise value will be measured by multi-platform conversion rates, not just sales or followers.
• Micro-licensing deals (experiential, music, games) will proliferate as studios seek immediate cash flow while large-scale adaptation deals negotiate — see short-term monetization playbooks like micro gift launch playbooks.
• AI-supported creative tools will accelerate prototyping, shrinking time from concept to pitch reel to under six months for many properties.

Final take: why this matters to entertainment creators and the market

The Orangery’s WME deal is a milestone because it crystallizes how modern franchise development works: intellectual property is a multiplatform architecture, not a single product. Agencies and buyers now prize rights-managed, data-validated, adaptation-ready IP. If you’re a creator or indie studio, the lesson is clear: build your world with adaptation in mind, measure real audience behavior, and provide tangible proofs-of-concept. Do that and you’ll move from being another hopeful pitch to being an acquisition target.

Actionable next steps (30/60/90 day plan)

Start fast. Here’s a practical timeline to begin turning one graphic novel into transmedia-ready IP.

Days 1–30

• Create a one-page IP map: main characters, key settings, tone, and potential platforms.
• Draft a 10-page bible and a 1-page showrunner pitch.
• Set up analytics: mailing list, social tracking, and a basic landing page.

Days 31–60

• Produce one low-cost adaptation proof (audio episode or animatic).
• Launch serialized content or a Kickstarter/pre-order campaign to validate demand.
• Begin legal groundwork: copyright registrations and simple creator agreements.

Days 61–90

• Compile metrics and create a buyer-facing package: bible, demo, KPIs, and distribution plan.
• Target introductions to agencies and producers with tailored outreach.
• Plan a modest merch run or experiential concept to demonstrate monetization potential.

Call to action

If you’re ready to move beyond single-format thinking and build a franchise that agencies and buyers want, start with the IP bible and a short adaptation proof. Join our newsletter for a free downloadable "Franchise-Ready Bible" template and step-by-step pitch checklist inspired by The Orangery model. Share your project with our community — we’ll highlight promising IP and help connect creators with agents, producers, and co-development partners.

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